Garden aid row back on agenda

This week it said the result of a customer survey into the budget proposal to save £500,000 a year by withdrawing the service will force a re-think.

Councillor Tom Coleman said: “Given the overwhelming condemnation of their actions as expressed during the consultation it is inconceivable they will stand by the decision they took in February to scrap the scheme.”

Information gathered from the exercise which asked the 6000 householders benefitting from it their views will be included in a report when the council’s Executive meets on Tuesday to agree a way ahead.

Mr Coleman insisted: “Of the many cuts imposed by the administration, without doubt the abolition of the garden aid service is the cruellest and least thought through of them.

“At this point we do not know which, if any, of the options they will choose, but after the overwhelming vote of no confidence by the public they have to reintroduce a version of garden aid.

“What we need is a genuine needs-based service that recognises the mix between medical and age criteria.”

Yesterday (Wednesday) Council leader Craig Martin said: “We never said garden aid would stop for everyone. We consulted the 6000 users and received 1000 responses which will form the basis of the report we will consider. I don’t know why the SNP are talking about a U-turn.”